ORIGINAL domestic productions are finding international buyers at the ongoing 2015 Shanghai Performing Arts Fair over the weekend.

Chinese dancer Yang Liping’s latest work “Under Siege,” which was commissioned by the China Shanghai International Arts Festival (CSIAF) this year, is among them.

It bagged the rights to perform at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in 2016 in England, while Tan Dun’s multi-media symphonic poem “Women’s Script,” a CSIAF commissioned work in 2013, will be staged at the Prague Spring International Music Festival in 2018.

“Rising Artists’ Works,” a multi-arts series, will be at the OzAsia Festival next September in Australia.

A tripartite cooperation was reached among Contemporary Legend Theater, Shenzhen JUOOO Network Technology and CSIAF for a joint production of “Love, Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

The CSIAF also commissioned Li Liuyi Theater Studio for a new play, “Thunder Storm,” which will be staged next year.

The CSIAF also signed a contract with SMG for a joint production of the “When Tang Xianzu met Shakespeare” to be staged next year.

The Shanghai Performing Arts Fair has been a major part of CSIAF since 1999. It has since then grown into an international event in China, connecting producers and artists from various arts festivals, art centers, theaters, performing companies and agencies from around the world.

The fair, which opened on October 15 at a city hotel, will end on Wednesday.

About 400 performing arts related organizations and groups are participating in the fair this year. As many as 130 of them are from overseas.

There will be about 67 live performances at the fair where 130 booths have been set up for various arts bodies for sharing information and conducting negotiations.

A CSIAF website was set up for the first time with video clips of programs.

“Many of the buyers this time had a ready list of the programs they were interested in when they came to the fair as they had already watched the videos online,” said Wang Jun, president of CSIAF Center.

“The live performances and booths only help in providing supplementary information.”

As a regular participator at the fair, Xu Xuemei of the Guangdong-based Zhongshan Culture and Art Center sees it as an important platform to get information on overseas programs as well as the latest trend in the global performing market.

“We have kept good contacts with many domestic organizations and agencies, but we need the help of the fair for a global perspective,” Xu said.

Cao Yuwei of the Shanghai Children’s Art Theater said many buyers “were looking for programs that are interesting and fresh.”

(By Zhang Qian Shanghai Daily)